I have some great memories at French Camp!! Saw some great shows there too! Alpha Blondy, Classic Black Uhru with Don Carlos, Capleton, Buju, Sizzla! The Marley's!! Looking forward to next year!! Will be fun!

I have enjoyed myself immensely at ROTR for the last several years at Benbow. I don't camp with the masses, so the arrangements at Benbow have been great for me. I have found the vibe great, mellow and focused on reggae. Course when you listen to the acts all day and then go crash you miss most of the rabble. Not looking forward to having to camp at French's if thats the deal. And the beginning of August is a problem for me, so that may have been my last ROTR.

Quoteiriebarto
Nah, rotr lacks something important that both nw and sn are full of..... Tha VIBEZ.. still good news tho hopefully it works out..

I disagree! I think you are referring to Reggae Rising Or The Cooks Dome. Reggae On The River was and is full of ''VIBEZ".

I'm hopeful with a smaller crowd they can keep the vibe on point, of course there's guaranteed to be some clowns but just like any festival you have take the good with the bad... stay positive, this is good!

This is indeed some great news! ROTR is where I cut my festival chops in the 90's and early 2000's. All these other festivals would not be what they are were it not for ROTR. It is the true original. And you must be kinda young, iriebarto, to say that ROTR is missing the Vibes, as back in the day it was ALL vibes!

I'm hoping they start with a 2-day, Sat/Sun arrangement, with a possible late night sound in Cook's for Friday night. In fact, I was so impressed with the Cook's after-party this year (what a sound system!), I think they should be in charge of the late night sound each night. Have it over in Cook's for the late night partiers, so the rest of the festival-goers can sleep in peace. Seems like the perfect situation to me.

I wonder who they'll bring out for this historic return to the original venue. I say they bring some true classic heavy hitters, with a couple newer big names as well. Classic big names like Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, & Alpha Blondy, maybe Damian Marley also, as the Ghetto Youths Crew had some great performences there.

QuoteReggabe
I wonder who they'll bring out for this historic return to the original venue. I say they bring some true classic heavy hitters, with a couple newer big names as well. Classic big names like Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, & Alpha Blondy, maybe Damian Marley also, as the Ghetto Youths Crew had some great performences there.

Bless Up Reggae on the River! (and SNWMF as well!)

With Apple saying that he is reuniting with Skelly an Wiss. The original Israel Vibration would be pure niceness for ROTR 2013...

Just like u said, back in the day.. iam speakin of how its mainly party vibez nowadays.. yes iam sure camping in other spots would make things more enjoyable, but then u have to drive back and forth.. whats the point in going to a two or three day festy if you have to drive to your camp site??

And as far as the good with the bad.. i had not a single bad moment at nwwrf this year.. great people music and vibez all weekend... ohhh and NO dubstep

Quoteiriebarto
Just like u said, back in the day.. iam speakin of how its mainly party vibez nowadays.. yes iam sure camping in other spots would make things more enjoyable, but then u have to drive back and forth.. whats the point in going to a two or three day festy if you have to drive to your camp site??

And as far as the good with the bad.. i had not a single bad moment at nwwrf this year.. great people music and vibez all weekend... ohhh and NO dubstep

Personally I think SNWMF is the best on the west coast and yes it is close enough to the northwest that i can drive to it in under 10 hours so for me it is a nw festival. Call it what you want cause it doesnt really matter to me. Geography is what i do for a living. LOL I move freight all over the pacific northwest and do very well at it so take your cheap shots it doesnt bother me. ROTR did always have huge lineups and i do look forward to that! It was like four headliners each night! Maybe they can make Alpha Blondy and Sizzla get to the NORTHWEST! LOL

Quoterappy heggae
Iriebarto...I'm curios, have you ever been to ROTR at French's?

I was wondering the same thing...if hes talking about molly parties and dubstep, I have a feeling somebody is mistaking frenchs camp days with the dimmick ranch days. Gotta admit i havent checked the new ROTR at benbow, but the reports i get from trusted friends tell me its a far cry from the slack fest that RR had become.....

Actually, the downhill slide started at French's Camp. I started going it 1989, and can attest to this. It doesn't matter the location, it matters how many tickets they sell and what kind of crowd attends.

QuoteJ_72
It doesn't matter the location, it matters how many tickets they sell and what kind of crowd attends.

The same can be said for SNWMF. I have been going to Sierra from the very beginning and last year was the first year I had gone since Angels Camp. I was amazed at how different the demographic was, don't get me wrong the vibe was nice but completely different from the old days.

Quoterappy heggae
Iriebarto...I'm curios, have you ever been to ROTR at French's?

I was wondering the same thing...if hes talking about molly parties and dubstep, I have a feeling somebody is mistaking frenchs camp days with the dimmick ranch days. Gotta admit i havent checked the new ROTR at benbow, but the reports i get from trusted friends tell me its a far cry from the slack fest that RR had become.....

What does it matter the venue?? Iam talkin bout rotr nowadays... wasnt trying to offend anyone, just what ive seen..

so Iriebarto I would assume you do not care if headliners have the sound go out repeatedly in the middle of their sets? It wouldn't bother you that an advertised lineup misses the first few acts on the "main day" of the fest? I know what you are saying as far as the mellow family vybe. I get that. But when you talk about reggae at French's this is on a whole different level. I go from seeing Burning Spear, Bounty Killer, K'Naan, Alpha Blondy, Ben Harper...I put a bunch of non reggae as the amount of actual reggae music that has come through that festival is unmatched in the history of this country. Even by SNWMF. Now they did go astray but to think of ROTR as nothing but a party is mistaken. World Class music every time. When it is at French's get a spot at Benbow to sleep. It is about 4 miles away. They have a bus that is on a regular schedule taking people in and back to the venue. What is that you say? who wants to be that far away? ok, so on early Friday AM have someone take you south on 101 about 530am. You are going to have to give this person something of value as their task for the am is going to be one for the birds. So as you approach the turn off of 101 to where the entrance is you will notice a massive line of cars piling up in the North bound lane. they will all be waiting to get inside the venue. Have the driver slow down and let 1 or 2 people out who should be equipped with tarp for space gathering purposes. You can go in on foot while a few hundred cars wait in line. Go in set up a "day spot". This way you have a space on the inside as well. Because you aren't bringing in a car you don't have to pay for that. The person in the car will have to sit in the line until they get back to the front and can continue back to Benbow northbound. The sleep and shade of Benbow coupled with the world class line up...hard to beat.

QuoteNinja
But when you talk about reggae at French's this is on a whole different level. I go from seeing Burning Spear, Bounty Killer, K'Naan, Alpha Blondy, Ben Harper...I put a bunch of non reggae as the amount of actual reggae music that has come through that festival is unmatched in the history of this country. Even by SNWMF. Now they did go astray but to think of ROTR as nothing but a party is mistaken. World Class music every time.

This is why I asked if you, Iriebarto, had ever been to ROTR at French's. The music, the venue and "tha VIBEZ" are all on point, making for a magical weekend every time. ROTR 2013 is gonna be big!

i agree ROTR will be big next year! I am all for it being back at French's camp! I love that you are capping it off at 6,000 people! Besides we dont know what to expect from NWWRF next year. If it is at a new location it could change the vibes. I will be going to SNWMF for their anniversary year next year as well as the welcome home party for ROTR! Next summer could only get better if NWWRF stays at Bobs Ranch

And i say to you again... it doesnt matter where you hold the world class festival.. it matters who attends and whether u like it or not or want to admit, its got the rep of being a big party.. again not trying to offend anyone, ive just seen alot of open drug use at rotr, people wasted and obnoxious.. i go for the music and the way they make u choose between 2 great artist by crappy scheduling also is a turn off.. everyone has there own opinions no need to get upset

yea I hear you...capped at 6000 is completely different then having 20,000+ people there. I been to ROTR over several years so I saw it change. I guess my point to you is that for over 20 of it's 29 years in existence it had both the best vybe and the best line up. IF I were you, it may be worth it to brave this fest one more time and see if this new smaller more intimate version might not be better suited to your taste...with this fest moving to the weekend before NWWRF and with Bob's Ranch being a thing of the past this may be your only option past June as far as the big 3 go.

no need to take offense rossta... i wasn't taking a "cheap shot" or arguing......
i am originally from the NW (20+ years in PDX) so i was just making a joke about my homeland....
no need to get riled up.... this is all in good fun.... bless.

i think we can all agree that these festivals are the west coast, and the west coast is where it's at!

So rappy heggae, you are helping put on ROTR?? Very happy to have it back at French camp! I worked for People Productions for a few summers helping David out. Some of the best times of my life!! Looking forward to this next year.

Quoterossta8888
So rappy heggae, you are helping put on ROTR?? Very happy to have it back at French camp! I worked for People Productions for a few summers helping David out. Some of the best times of my life!! Looking forward to this next year.

good question...not sure what the cap at Benbow was or how many tickets they sold. Just curious. Had you heard the same "bad reviews" since it moved to Benbow? I haven't gone since the year before it moved there.

i have never heard of bad review for ROTR at French camp. I think people are getting it confused with the last few years at Dimmick Ranch and when Reggae rising came in. I had never seen anything like Regge Rising that year. Huge parties all over the place with people who seemed to have never once left to go to the bowl. Law enforcement riding around on quads busting people left and right. French camp will be huge!! I did not ever attend in benbow so i can not say on the amount of people at those shows. I swear though when it was reggae rising it seemed like 20,000 people where there!

Quoterossta8888
i have never heard of bad review for ROTR at French camp. I think people are getting it confused with the last few years at Dimmick Ranch and when Reggae rising came in,

No confusion here, I saw the decline of ROTR at French Camp well before they moved it to Dimmick Ranch. As an example, the guys walking around offering "kind nugs" started offering ecstasy and other crap, raver takeover for sure. Just my personal observation.

I think its was 95 or 96 at Sierra in Marysville, this guy walked up and introduced himself as " Jerry The Happy Nug Head". he had his hand out and asked me if I wanted to buy some "ultra kind nugs" but it was mushrooms in his hand. I said "those are shrooms" he looked down laughed and said " want to buy some shrooms".

The late years of rotr at french's only sold 10000 tickets so 6000 isn't that different. But it won't happen. Guia festival is now the first weekend in august. What does rotr do about that? U can't have both festivals same weekend same area.

This is on the same weekend as the Gaia Festival! This is a really bad move on the part of the Mateel and Doug Green. BAD. We share the same crews!!! Is ROTR and the MCC and Doug Green trying to start a war all over again. SHAME ON THE MATEEL. SHAME ON ROTR. SHAME ON DOUG GREEN. This is a bad move and will only create bad blood.

Quotereggae.truth
This is on the same weekend as the Gaia Festival! This is a really bad move on the part of the Mateel and Doug Green. BAD. We share the same crews!!! Is ROTR and the MCC and Doug Green trying to start a war all over again. SHAME ON THE MATEEL. SHAME ON ROTR. SHAME ON DOUG GREEN. This is a bad move and will only create bad blood.

Quoterandomguy2u
The late years of rotr at french's only sold 10000 tickets so 6000 isn't that different. But it won't happen. Guia festival is now the first weekend in august. What does rotr do about that? U can't have both festivals same weekend same area.

OverJoyed to see ROTR coming back home. Life always comes full circle. ROTR is and always will be the cornerstone and I love and support all the festivals. The line up needs to be dope as ever and I am sure it will be!

One is a REGGAE FESTIVAL...the other is a HIPPIE FESTIVAL... I know that sounds like I am talking @#$%& but I am really not. I just mean to say I never been to GAIA and no one I know that listens to reggae has ever said this is a can't miss fest etc. I get why people would be upset but this is apples and oranges.....and so you know ROTR ran that weekend for over 20 years before Gaia ever came about. It was only because of Reggae Rising that they moved to July.

Quotereggae.truth
This is on the same weekend as the Gaia Festival! This is a really bad move on the part of the Mateel and Doug Green. BAD. We share the same crews!!! Is ROTR and the MCC and Doug Green trying to start a war all over again. SHAME ON THE MATEEL. SHAME ON ROTR. SHAME ON DOUG GREEN. This is a bad move and will only create bad blood.

Well...let's see...from what I understand, traditionally, Reggae On The River was always the last weekend of July or the first weekend in August, depending on the calendar.

Then, ROTR died for a bit and Reggae Rising took over those dates.

Then, before RR was even dead, Gaia Festival announced their festival would be on those same dates...and of course, RR died that year, so there was no problem with Gaia taking that weekend...

BUT...now that ROTR is back up to par, they are taking their weekend back. I think that's fair game at this point...thoughts???
bless!!!

so there was no drop off. It was ROTR the first weekend of August...never in July. It was ROTR one year and RR next year.

There is no SNWMF without ROTR. ROTR demonstrated that this culture was viable as a commercial enterprise. It was SNWMF that moved much closer to the North Coast then where they started. I love SNWMF but if you took the two and went head to head act for act I think ROTR more then holds it's own. This is like arguing between finding a 20 on the ground and having someone tap you on the shoulder to tell you that you just dropped a 20. Both things are good so there is no dissing here.

QuoteNinja
so there was no drop off. It was ROTR the first weekend of August...never in July. It was ROTR one year and RR next year.

There is no SNWMF without ROTR. ROTR demonstrated that this culture was viable as a commercial enterprise. It was SNWMF that moved much closer to the North Coast then where they started. I love SNWMF but if you took the two and went head to head act for act I think ROTR more then holds it's own. This is like arguing between finding a 20 on the ground and having someone tap you on the shoulder to tell you that you just dropped a 20. Both things are good so there is no dissing here.

I think you're missing the point here Ninja...we are not talking about ROTR vs SNWMF at all...we are talking about ROTR vs Gaia Festival...seen?

yeah man what I am saying is that Gaia has nothing to do with anything. This is like saying Jack Johnson and Lady Gaga have a show on the same night in the same area. The people who will go to ROTR and make up the vast majority of paying customers have no interest in Gaia over ROTR. It isn't even close. This is for people who like going to festivals more then care about the style of music. Now again, Gaia is probably great. Probably great bands etc and a great time. What I am saying is they don't sing Beres, Capleton, Bounty Killer, Morgan Family, Alpha Blondy, Cocoa Tea, Tanya Stephens etc. I just don't see the two as competitors for the same audience even if people have gone to both in the past.

also I was talking about the place of ROTR among the big 3 REGGAE festivals (SNWMF, ROTR and NWWRF)

Gotcha, Ninja...and I think for the most part you are right...however, I think that you are not seeing the big picture about the "attendees" of these festivals...a TON of people that work as volunteers for ROTR also work as volunteers for GAIA...and, GAIA came about as a result of RR dying...and now Earthdance is dead, and so is Harmony Festival. Therefore, I see GAIA as a "killer" festival...trying to fulfill all of these roles and be the "ONE AND ONLY BIG FESTIVAL" in August for Humboldt County...but I see you're point about "people who like going to festivals more than care about the style of music"...and you're right about the lineup too...lacking reggae fa real last year...except for Indubious...and Michael Franti (if you consider him reggae...which I kind of do..but not really...) lol
However, imho, having both ROTR and GAIA on the same weekend is going to do nothing but hurt BOTH festivals.
Respect!

The way I see it, RR failed on its own accord, and the other festival moved to the spot. Why knock Gaia Festival when RR caused their own demise? Free market, yes? What entitles a failed industry to try and claim their spot again?

J 72, you are correct. RR failed on it's on accord...miserably...HOWEVER, before RR was completely dead to the world, GAIA announced its festival on those dates...and I see that as kind of "taking over" the situation...
What entitles a failed industry to try and claim their spot again? Freedom of choice and big balls, that's what.
There are no laws saying two festivals within an hour of each other are not allowed to happen on the same weekend....but obviously it can't be good for "business" at either destination.
Also, from what I know, and I don't know much, ROTR and GAIA are not on "friendly" terms...

I am sure ROTR will sell 6,000 tickets, GAIA will probably be forced to move weekends. They are the one's that might struggle to sell tickets. I understand that this draws somewhat of a different group of people but I am sure they will look into the option of a different weekend to ensure the best weekend possible. I hope this does not turn into drama. There is enough good summer weekends for every festival to survive. I would imagine that ROTR is just trying to get back to their roots and did not consider GAIA when putting things together. All of this is speculative on my part

If they are trying to keep the attendance down closer to the numbers they had in the 90's, then perhaps they are well aware of the conflict. I seem to recall that the Burning Man fest started up on the same days (first weekend in Aug) as ROTR as well. Saying that a lot of the staff is the same, etc. is kind of silly: that can be said of damn near every festival in Cali (or Oregon/Nevada, etc), and conflicts arise because we have such an abundance of great festivals. Nearly impossible these days to find a "conflict-free" weekend during the summer months. You simply have to chose your entertainment based on your preferences...

"I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase the devil out of earth" - Max Romeo

Quoterossta8888
I am sure ROTR will sell 6,000 tickets, GAIA will probably be forced to move weekends. They are the one's that might struggle to sell tickets. I understand that this draws somewhat of a different group of people but I am sure they will look into the option of a different weekend to ensure the best weekend possible. I hope this does not turn into drama. There is enough good summer weekends for every festival to survive. I would imagine that ROTR is just trying to get back to their roots and did not consider GAIA when putting things together. All of this is speculative on my part

U can't get to cook's without crossing Dimmiks. U can't be walking the highway to get there, U can't use the old drive in entrance. Imagine the highway issues with both festivals on the 101. CHP already has a bug up their ass thanks to Dimmik not paying them. Guia has a permit. They won't change their date. ROTR hasn't lined up anything with the county. How about the rave act? the government is going to want a piece f this million dollar business. Festival World War 3. Guia, Cooks, and ROTR. End soon. Earthdance happened in a small way in santa cruz area. Harmony ended in embezzlement. Reggae in the park ended in gay issues. Renegade Fest couldn't cut it financially. SNWMF crowd has changed as well Dubstep fills the stereos. I used to walk along the car line and it would be like a reggae radio station. Now it's whomp to whomp. Seems like the reggae fests and conscious, revolutionary words are being wiped out, for u can have whomp and your hippy crack back.

QuoteHiGrade1
GAIA festival came in to existence when the owners of the black oak ranch kicked out earthdance and then tried to throw their own festival in it's place......

Hey HiGrade1. That's not accurate. Earthdance wasn't kicked off the ranch, it outgrew the ranch,so when their 10 year agreement expired Bob Barsotti worked really hard with Chris to find a new suitable home for Earthdance. Chris is also a co-producter of Gaia. ~ yvonne (festival publicist Earthdance and Gaia)

Quoterandomguy2u
U can't get to cook's without crossing Dimmiks. U can't be walking the highway to get there, U can't use the old drive in entrance. Imagine the highway issues with both festivals on the 101. CHP already has a bug up their ass thanks to Dimmik not paying them. Guia has a permit. They won't change their date. ROTR hasn't lined up anything with the county. How about the rave act? the government is going to want a piece f this million dollar business. Festival World War 3. Guia, Cooks, and ROTR. End soon. Earthdance happened in a small way in santa cruz area. Harmony ended in embezzlement. Reggae in the park ended in gay issues. Renegade Fest couldn't cut it financially. SNWMF crowd has changed as well Dubstep fills the stereos. I used to walk along the car line and it would be like a reggae radio station. Now it's whomp to whomp. Seems like the reggae fests and conscious, revolutionary words are being wiped out, for u can have whomp and your hippy crack back.

QuoteHiGrade1
GAIA festival came in to existence when the owners of the black oak ranch kicked out earthdance and then tried to throw their own festival in it's place......

Hey HiGrade1. That's not accurate. Earthdance wasn't kicked off the ranch, it outgrew the ranch,so when their 10 year agreement expired Bob Barsotti worked really hard with Chris to find a new suitable home for Earthdance. Chris is also a co-producter of Gaia. ~ yvonne (festival publicist Earthdance and Gaia)

Just to clarify a little here - there are Earthdance festivals all over the world, this year alone: 71 events in 27 countries. [www.earthdance.org]

@ randomguy2u: who said anything about Cooks? They are returning to French's Camp. And yes - I've heard that CHP won't allow the old entrance, but I'm not sure if that was more rumor than substance and besides, those little metal bridges can be dropped anywhere... (although I agree they are far from being permitted, etc.!).

"I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase the devil out of earth" - Max Romeo

QuoteDubguyJust to clarify a little here - there are Earthdance festivals all over the world, this year alone: 71 events in 27 countries. [www.earthdance.org]

Thanks for sharing that. I worked with Chris Deckker on Earthdance Laytonville for all of it's years there and followed the move to Vallejo. I have also worked with the team on the International Side. Look for a resurgence of Earthdance Globally in 2013!

I think that Tom Dimick will let us use his land (auto turn out, camping, parking, etc) to get any money he can. That fool is straight broke. His property was up for foreclosure because he couldn't pay his mortgage.